The win puts Cedarville, 23-1 and ranked No. 2 in the Associated Press state poll, in a state quarterfinal game on Tuesday, March 19, at Marquette against North Central, 22-3. North Central defeated Forest Park 59-50 Wednesday to win its first regional title since 1985.

It marked a return to the regional winner’s circle for the Trojans, whose streak of six consecutive titles came to an end last season.

It was far from easy as Hillman, seeking the first regional boys basketball crown in school history, gave the Trojans all they could handle, and perhaps even a little more.

“I told (my players) the first thing we need to do is hit them in the mouth,” said Hillman coach Eric Muszynski, “and then (Cedarville) came back and hit us in the mouth.

“It was kind of like a heavyweight battle, we just kept going back and forth.

“It’s everything that high school basketball and March Madness is all about. Unfortunately somebody’s got to go home and somebody moves on, but we don’t have any reason to hang our heads low at all. I’m super proud.”

Everybody on both sides had plenty to be proud of as the Trojans and Tigers put together a classic, during which both held sizeable leads only to see their opponent respond.

Tyler Jones scored 26 points to lead Hillman, which finished 17-6, while Michael Klein came off the bench to add 20, Mason VanPamel had 17, and Michael Olschanski added 10. Jones and VanPamel are sophomores, while Klein is a junior.

Despite their relative youth – the Tigers started three sophomores – they stood toe-to-toe with a senior-laden and tournament-tested Trojan team and a program led by veteran coach Dave Duncan that has been there, done that so many times in the recent past.

“Year in, year out, you go down and watch (Cedarville) in the state finals and they’re a machine, they’ve won seven out of the last eight regionals,” Muszynski said. “They’re just a phenomenal program and that’s where we want to be.

“I think we had a chip on our shoulder knowing that probably the majority of the state didn’t think we had a chance. We just wanted to show them what we’re made of. … I don’t think we were intimidated at all.”

Page 2 of 3 - The Tigers made 11 of their first 18 field goal attempts and held the lead throughout the entire first half. Twice they bumped their advantage as high as eight points.

But Cedarville, as champions are wont to do, responded in the third quarter and seized its first lead, 43-41, on a Hester steal-and-layup with 4 minutes, 53 seconds left in the third.

That bucket came during a 25-6 Trojan spurt that left them seemingly in command at 54-41 with under 2 minutes left in the third.

But Hillman refused to wilt, and the Tigers continued to lap at Cedarville’s heels – right to the regulation buzzer, and beyond.

The Trojans appeared to have the game won when Brad Causley hit two free throws with 4.3 seconds left in regulation, upping their lead to 68-65.

That’s when things got even more interesting, and more dramatic.

Hillman inbounded the ball after Causley’s free throws and VanPamel took a desperation 3-point attempt at the buzzer. The shot missed the mark, but VanPamel was fouled on the play. The went to the line with 0.0 showing on the clock, and calmly drained all three attempts, sending it to overtime tied at 68-all.

More drama would ensue in the second extra session. Causley hit two charity tosses with 29.2 seconds left to increase Cedarville’s lead to 79-74. But Olschanski answered with a bucket from in close with 20 seconds left, making it 79-76, and was fouled. He missed the free throw, but Cedarville could not cleanly handle the rebound and the ball went out of bounds and back to the Tigers.

VanPamel, again, stepped up, this time knocking down a triple from the top of the key with 4 seconds remaining to re-tie the game at 79-all, and send it to another OT session.

Bouschor hit two free throws to open the second OT, giving Cedarville the lead – this time for good – 81-79.

A Bouschor bucket with 1:44 left and a Hester free throw 17 seconds later upped Cedarville’s lead to six, 89-83, and Joe Duncan, a sophomore, made three-of-four charity tosses over the final 22.9 seconds to ice it and send the Trojans back to the state quarterfinals. The Trojans were good on seven of their 10 free throw attempts in the second OT.

Hester, the Eastern U.P. Conference Player of the Year, had a monster night with 15 rebounds, 10 assists and five steals to go with his 23 points. Stenbeck also had 15 boards, while Bouschor added 11. Duncan finished with eight assists.